World Literary Awards

Literary Awards

Browse award recipients, categories, and yearly award lists

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580 literary awards

Pat Lowther Memorial Award

Established
1980
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
League of Canadian Poets
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May–June
PoetryWomen's literary awardCanadian literary awardsBook award

An annual Canadian literary award for the best book of poetry by a woman — including cis women, trans women, and non-binary individuals comfortable with a women's prize.

Prize: Honorarium to the winner (CAD 1,000)

Percy Janes First Novel Award

Established
2000
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation (TCAR) — Arts and Letters Awards Program
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
Announcement Period
around May
NovelFirst full-length novel (debut novel)Unpublished manuscriptRegion (Newfoundland and Labrador)Canadian literature

Literary award for unpublished manuscripts by newcomers from Newfoundland and Labrador (first full-length novels). Awarded through the provincial government's Arts and Letters Competition.

Prize: Cash prize for unpublished debut full-length novels. Originally CAD 1,500, increased to CAD 2,500 in 2014.

Prix Anne-Hébert

Established
2000
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Centre culturel canadien à Paris (Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris); Société Radio-Canada
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Newcomer
French-language fictionDebut work / first fictionQuebec literary awardsCanadian literary awards

Canadian literary award given to debut fiction works in French by writers from Quebec.

Prize: Prize money: CAD 7,500 (main prize)

Prix Athanase-David

Established
1969
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Quebec Government (Prix du Québec)
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around October–November
LiteratureFrench-language literatureAchievement awardQuebec Province literature awards

The highest distinction awarded to an individual for their outstanding contribution to Quebec literature, presented annually by the Quebec government as part of Prix du Québec.

Prize: C$30,000 cash prize (recognition for literary achievements)

Prix du Cercle du livre de France

Established
1950
Frequency
Annual (intermittent years with no award)
Organizer
Le Cercle du livre de France (Quebec publishing house); 1977–1985 sponsored by Esso Canada (renamed Prix littéraire Esso du Cercle du livre de France)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Publishing Culture and Book Culture
Target
Open
Canadian literary awardFrench-language literary awardpublisher-sponsored prize

A literary prize established by the Quebec publishing house Le Cercle du livre de France to promote Quebec authors.

Prix Ringuet (Ringuet Prize)

Established
1983
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Académie des lettres du Québec
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
French-language fictionQuebec literary awardCanadian fiction award

Annual literary award presented to Quebec writers for French-language fiction. Organized by the Académie des lettres du Québec.

Prize: Literary award for French-language fiction works (prize amount not specified in sources)

ReLit Awards

Established
2000
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
ReLit Awards (Founded: Kenneth J. Harvey. Operated by Katherine Alexandra Harvey since 2021)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around July
NovelPoetryShort fiction

Annual literary award targeting independent publishers in Canada. Recognizes book-length works in novel, poetry, and short fiction categories.

Prize: Basically no cash prize. Since 2003, a silver ring designed by Christopher Kearney is awarded. In the founding early period (first 2 years), a nominal 1 Canadian dollar was given.

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize (formerly Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize)

Established
1997
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Writers' Trust of Canada
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
FictionNovelShort story collection

Annual literary award given to Canadian novels or short story collections. Winner receives CA$70,000 (finalists each receive CA$7,500).

Prize: Awards CA$60,000 to the winner. Each finalist (3-5 people) receives CA$5,000.

Ryerson Fiction Award

Established
1942
Frequency
Irregular
Organizer
Ryerson Press
Selection Method
Open call
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around March–May
FictionNovelCanadian literatureUnpublished manuscript

A Canadian literary award (1942–1960) sponsored by Ryerson Press, targeting unpublished long novels.

Prize: Publication by Ryerson Press and cash prize ($1,000, of which $500 is an advance on royalties).

Giller Prize

Established
1994
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Giller Foundation
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around September–October
English-language works (including translations)Canadian literatureFiction (novels, short story collections)

Annual literary award for English-language fiction (novels, short story collections, including translations) in Canada. Established in 1994.

Prize: Cash prize to winner (CAD 100,000 to winner since 2014, CAD 10,000 to each shortlist nominee, etc.) and trophy.

Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour

Established
1946
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Stephen Leacock Associates (non-profit organization, Leacock Foundation)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around June
HumourLiterary awardEnglish works

Canada's annual humour literary award. Awarded to humorous works by Canadian writers written in English.

Prize: Silver medal (by Emanuel Hahn) and cash prize

Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic

Established
2001
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Sunburst Award Society
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around September–October
Speculative fictionNovelShort storyYoung adult

Annual literary award for Canadian speculative literature (SF, fantasy, etc.). Established in 2001.

Prize: CA$1,000 (novel) / CA$500 (short story) and medallion

TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

Established
2005
Frequency
Once a year (awards given annually in English and French categories)
Organizer
Canadian Children's Book Centre (organizer), TD Bank Financial Group (sponsor)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Children's literatureEnglish categoryFrench category

Annual award targeting Canadian children's literature works. Awards are given in both the English and French categories.

Prize: Prize money awarded to each winner in the English and French categories (currently CAD 50,000 per award)

Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award

Established
1991
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Atlantic Book Awards & Festival (Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around May–June
FictionAdult fictionCanadian literatureRegional literary award (Atlantic provinces)

Canadian literary award given to adult fiction published the previous year by writers from the Atlantic provinces.

Prize: Prize money awarded to the winner (supported by the fund)

Trillium Book Award

Established
1987
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Ontario Creates (a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around April
FictionNonfictionPoetryChildren's literatureEnglish-languageFrench-language

Annual literary award for Ontario writers. Operated by Ontario Creates (a Crown agency of the Government of Ontario), including financial support for authors and publishers.

Prize: Books: CA$20,000 to the author and CA$2,500 to the publisher. Other categories (e.g., poetry): CA$10,000 to the author and CA$2,000 to the publisher.

Winterset Award

Established
2000
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Open
Announcement Period
around March
FictionNonfictionPoetrygeneral literature

Literary award given annually to the best book by writers from Newfoundland and Labrador (any genre).

Prize: Cash prize and recognition (amount varies by year)

Writers' Trust Award for Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Literature

Established
0
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Writers' Trust of Canada
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
Lifetime Achievement AwardDistinguished Contribution

Lifetime achievement award given to individuals who have made distinguished contributions to Canadian literature.

Prize: Honorary recognition (commemorative plaque, medal, etc.) and commendation at the ceremony

National Prize for Literature (Chile)

Established
1942
Frequency
biennial (since 1972; originally annual until 1972)
Organizer
Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos (DIBAM) / Government of Chile
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
LiteratureNational PrizeSpanish-language literature

National Prize for Literature established by the Chilean government in 1942. A major domestic literary award selected based on the overall quality of works.

Prize: One-time payment (16,000,000 Chilean Pesos) and lifetime monthly pension (20 UTM)

Premio Editorial Costa Rica

Established
1972
Frequency
Annual
Organizer
Editorial Costa Rica (ECR)
Selection Method
Open call
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Open
NovelPoetryEssayShort storyDrama (play)Literary studies/Criticism

Costa Rican literary award hosted by Editorial Costa Rica. An award that selects the winning work by alternating genres from multiple submissions.

Croatia rediviva: Ča, Kaj, Što – baštinski dani

Established
1991
Frequency
Once a year (annually, usually mid-July)
Organizer
Association 'Hrvatski sastanak 1888' and the Croatian Writers' Association
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Poetry and Contemporary Poetry
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around July
Poetry festivalLiterary festivalLiterary awardCroatian poetry

Annual poetry festival gathering Croatia's three dialects. The best poet is honored with an olive wreath, and a verse from the poem is engraved on marble.

Prize: Olive wreath (poeta oliveatus) and display of a white Brač marble plaque engraved with a verse from the winning poem

Ksaver Šandor Gjalski Award

Established
1979
Frequency
Once a year (1979–1985: awarded biennially)
Organizer
Grad Zabok (City of Zabok) and Društvo hrvatskih književnika (Croatian Writers' Association)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around October
Literary awardProseCroatian literature

A Croatian literary award established in 1979. Presented annually for the best prose work published in the Republic of Croatia, as part of the cultural event "Days of Ksaver Šandor Gjalski" organized by the city of Zabok and the Croatian Writers' Society.

Prize: Certificate (povelje), plaque with portrait of Ksaver Šandor Gjalski, and monetary prize

August Šenoa Prize

Established
1999
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Matica hrvatska
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Arts and Media Arts
Target
Professional
LiteratureArts

An annual award established in 1999 by Matica hrvatska for literature and art, named after the distinguished Croatian writer August Šenoa (1838–1881).

Prize: Details unknown (no public information on prize money or prizes)

Magnesia Litera

Established
2002
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Spolek Litera, an independent association comprising members from Czech literary and book-market organizations, including the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, the Association of Booksellers and Publishers, the Czech Centre of International PEN, the Czech section of IBBY, the Society of Czech Writers, and the Guild of Czech Translators.
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Research, Translation, and Scholarship
Target
Newcomer
ProsePoetrychildren's and youth literature (since 2004)Nonfictionessay/journalism (since 2007)translationpublishing achievementbook debutscience fiction/fantasydetective fictionhumorous literaturereaders' prizemain prize (Czech Book of the Year)

Annual comprehensive book award established in the Czech Republic in 2002. Includes multiple genre awards and the main prize (Czech Book of the Year).

Prize: Czech Book of the Year (main prize) and awards for each genre

Libris Literature Award (Libris Prize)

Established
1993
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Stichting Literatuur Prijs (Literature Prize Foundation), sponsored by Libris
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around May
NovelDutch-language literatureLiterature prize

Major Dutch literary prize awarded to novels written in Dutch.

Prize: €50,000 prize money to the winner. €2,500 awarded to each shortlisted author.

Premio Nacional Eugenio Espejo (Eugenio Espejo National Prize)

Established
1975
Frequency
Biennial (every two years)
Organizer
President of Ecuador; Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
General Arts and Media Arts
Target
Professional
Cultural PromotionArtsLiteratureSciencePublic or Private Institutions

Ecuador's national prize awarded by the President. Biennially, winners are selected in five categories: culture, arts, literature, science, and public/private institutions.

Prize: Monetary award, a diploma, a medal and a lifetime stipend.

Friedebert Tuglas short story award

Established
1970
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Under and Tuglas Literary Institute of the Estonian Academy of Sciences
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Professional
Short storyLiterary awardEstonian literature

Estonian literary award for short stories established by Friedebert Tuglas in 1970; first awarded in 1971.

Juhan Smuul literary award

Established
1970
Frequency
Annual
Organizer
Eesti Kultuurkapital (Estonian Cultural Endowment)
Selection Method
Selection
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
ProsePoetryChildren's literature

Estonian literary award named after writer Juhan Smuul, awarded in multiple categories including prose, poetry and children's literature.

Finlandia Prize

Established
1984
Frequency
Annually
Organizer
Finnish Book Foundation
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Children's Literature, Fairy Tales, and Picture Books
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around November–December
Fiction (novels)Nonfiction (factual and specialist books)Children's and young adult literature

Finland's premier literary award organized by the Finnish Book Foundation. Winners are selected annually in three categories: fiction, nonfiction, and children's/young adult.

Prize: Cash prize and prestige. Winning brings benefits such as publicity and translation opportunities (prize money as of 2022: 30,000 euros).

Helsingin Sanomat Literature Prize

Established
1964
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
Helsingin Sanomat
Selection Method
Selection
Category
General Fiction and Popular Fiction
Target
Newcomer
Announcement Period
around November
Debut novelFinnish-language literatureLiterature prizeDebut work prize

Literature prize awarded to debut novels in Finnish. Organized by Helsingin Sanomat newspaper.

Prize: Prize money €15,000

Runeberg Prize

Established
1987
Frequency
Once a year
Organizer
City of Porvoo; Uusimaa (newspaper); Union of Finnish Writers (Suomen Kirjailijaliitto); Finnish Critics' Association (Suomen arvostelijain liitto); Society of Swedish Authors in Finland (Finlands svenska författareförening)
Selection Method
Recommendation
Category
Literature and General Literary Arts
Target
Professional
Announcement Period
around February
Literature awardFinnish LiteratureFor works in Finnish or Swedish

Finnish literature award. Established in 1987. Awarded annually on February 5 to works in Finnish or Swedish.

Prize: Prize money and the honor of winning (current amount: 20,000 euros)